Maricel Tarrayo, GMA KFI project staff, said in an interview that this was done through the provision of packed relief goods worth P250 each.

The items given included noodles, canned goods, coffee, milk and biscuit. There were also new and used clothes, detergent powder and soap.

Beneficiary Aileen Catulmo, 33, said the relief pack was a big help to sustain their basic needs.

“Agyaman kami la unay iti daytoy a tulong kadakami nangnangruna ti GMA ken opisyales ti San Fernando nga nangsuporta kadakami tapno makalasat kami ti daytoy a bagyo (We are really thankful for this assistance to us especially to GMA and officials of San Fernando for supporting us in order to survive from this typhoon),” she added.

Acting City Mayor Alfred Ortega acknowledged the foundation for their support in providing relief goods to affected residents.

Meanwhile, Tarrayo said their next target of relief operation in the province will be in Bauang but they will coordinate first with the Municipal Social Welfare Development Office of Bauang before the distribution of goods. (ANL/MHH-PIA 1, La Union)

Schools have declared consecutive class suspensions from Tuesday to Friday last week due to heavy rains.

Dr. William Macob, education supervisor of the city schools division, presented alternatives to complete the prescribed number of days for this school year.

He said school heads may opt to hold classes on Saturdays, to use the one week semestral break, to cut the two weeks Christmas break or to add at least two extra school hours a day.

As per school calendar (DepEd Order No. 26), the required total of school days is 200, which include the 180 days to be used for non-negotiable teaching days and the 20 buffer days to be spent for local holidays and different school events and activities.

Macob was guest at the “Pantongtongan Tayo” radio program of the Philippine Information Agency over DZMQ Radyo ng Bayan on Tuesday. (ANL/AMM-PIA 1 Pangasinan)

VIGAN CITY, Aug 17 (PIA) -– A grievance committee in every school in Vigan City has been created to receive complaints from students or persons against students for committing acts that are grounds for disciplinary action.

Mayor Eva Medina said the committee will conduct formal investigation and render a just and impartial decision on the complaint within 60 days from its filing, based on the provisions in the Vigan Student Code of Conduct and Discipline.

Medina said the grievance committee, composed of the school head, faculty member or adviser, guidance counselor, PTA president and Student Council president, shall adopt its own rules and procedures for speedy disposition of complaints lodged against any student.

Such complaints or violations include physical abuse, sexual misconduct or verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, hazing, coercion and other conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person inside or outside the campus.

For the first offender, suspension for at least two weeks to one semester; suspension for at least one semester to one year for the second offense; and suspension for at least one year to expulsion for the third offense.

Same offenses will be meted for possession, use, sale or purchase of any illegal drugs or alcohol in the schools promises; immorality, indecency and any form of obscene or lewd behavior such as necking or petting, and reading or possessing pornographic materials inside the campus.

The mayor said the city government and the schools recognized the student right to form student organizationssuch as fraternities and sororities in the University of Northern Philippines and Divine Word College of Vigan for their civic development and welfare, but they should have a clearly defined objectives and relevant programs and projects observing the rules and regulations prescribed by law. (ANL/BPP-PIA 1 Ilocos Sur)

Mayor Amado Tadena said these conferences will strategize techniques on helping children on their school work.

Results from recent NATs show that overall performance of the different schools in the municipality is not good. Currently, there are two public high schools, one private high school and 23 public elementary schools in the municipality.

Tadena has also instructed teachers to monitor health condition of pupils in their classrooms.

Citing the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Supplementary Feeding Program in day-care centers, the mayor said brain development occurs during early childhood.

He said children need to eat regular meals and they should not skip eating breakfast because nutrition is one factor that affects school performance.

Despite the dismal performance, Tadena acknowledged Sived Elementary School for getting highest rating at 80.55 percent among schools in the first district of Ilocos Sur.

The school was rewarded with one unit of computer.

“I challenge the rest of the schools to exert more efforts to improve their performance for 2012 NAT exams,” Tadena said.

The NAT, which is administered by DepEd, is designed to determine the students’ academic strengths and weakness through five key major subjects: Mathematics, Science, English, Filipino; and Hekasi (Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika) for elementary and Araling Panlipunan in high school.

Ratings obtained from NAT measure the school’s competency and effectiveness as well as the students’ aptitude and mastery towards the basic learning areas. (ANL/NOA-PIA 1, Ilocos Sur)

LAOAG CITY, August 12 (PIA) — Government buildings in Northern and Central Luzon, including the Cordilleras, stand to generate savings when the Department of Energy (DOE) adopts the lighting retrofit in their lighting systems.

The DOE will sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with government leaders in Regions I, II, III and the Cordillera Administrative Region for the adoption of lighting retrofit in government buildings to achieve energy efficiency.

DOE representatives have temporary moved the signing of the MOA in the coming days. A scheduled MOA signing last Friday was cancelled due to bad weather that caused widespread flooding in Metro Manila and other Luzon provinces.

At least 135 government buildings nationwide will benefit from reduced energy wastage from the use of inefficient lighting equipment.

According to DOE’s media release, light retrofitting involves replacement of existing lighting systems with efficient lamps and electronic ballast that could spell millions of pesos in savings for government.

It said some P20 million in projected savings will be achieved with the retrofitting of at least 35 government buildings of various national government agencies which was implemented early this year.

“To date, 22 buildings which have been retrofitted will result to one (1) million kWh electricity reduction equivalent to monetary savings of as high as P 10 million (at Php 10.00/kWh) per year,” the DOE said.

The government building retrofit is part of the efficient lighting initiative component of the Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP).

The PEEP also includes the National Residential Lighting Program (NLRP), the Public Lighting Replacement Program (PLRP), and the carrying out of energy efficiency testing and lamp waste management which intends to expand the DOE’s existing testing laboratory and the establishment of a mercury waste management facility for recovery of mercury from used fluorescent lamps.

Government buildings/agencies which have already benefited from the program are: National Dairy Authority, National Housing Authority, Environmental Management Bureau, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, National Food Authority, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Information Agency, National Telecommunications Commission, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture, Tourism Infrastructure and Entrepreneurship Zone Authority, Department of Tourism, National Electrification Administration, National Printing Office, National Irrigation Administration, Land Transportation Office, Department of Science and Technology, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Energy, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Health, Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Trade Industry-International Trade Group, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, Department of Justice, Philippine Trade Training Center, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Finance, and the National Center for Mental Health. (JCR/CCA-PIA 1 Ilocos Norte)